Núria Lupón

Optical glass polishing by controlled laser surface-heat treatment.

It is shown that optical surfaces traditionally ground in conventional glasses with high coefficients of thermal expansion may be polished by irradiation with a space- and time-controlled uniform CO(2) laser beam. Comparisons of a theoretical simulation model of the laser-driven heating process with the experimental results allow us to determine the conditions for successful and reliable use of this technique. The technique can be applied indiscriminately to preheated samples made of different glasses, with any topography, and, of any size in a limited range that depends only on the available laser power.

The variability of corneal and anterior segment parameters in keratoconus

PURPOSE To analyse, describe and test diverse corneal and anterior segment parameters in normal and keratoconic eyes to better understand the geometry of the keratoconic cornea. METHOD 44 eyes from 44 keratoconic patients and 44 eyes from 44 healthy patients were included in the study. The Pentacam System was used for the analysis of the anterior segment parameters. New ad-hoc parameters were defined by measuring the distances on the Scheimpflug image at the horizontal diameter, with chamber depth now comprising of two distinctive distances: corneal sagittal depth and the distance from the endpoint of this segment to the anterior surface of the lens (DL). RESULTS Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between normal and keratoconic eyes were found in all of the analysed corneal parameters. Anterior chamber depth presented statistical differences between normal and keratoconic eyes (3.06±0.43mm versus 3.34±0.45mm, respectively; p=0.004). This difference was found to originate in an increase of the DL distance (0.40±0.33mm in normal eyes against 0.61±0.45mm in keratoconic eyes; p=0.014), rather than in the changes in corneal sagittal depth. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that keratoconus results in central and peripheral corneal manifestations, as well as changes in the shape of the scleral limbus. The DL parameter was useful in describing the forward elongation and advance of the scleral tissue in keratoconic eyes. This finding may help in the monitoring of disease progression and contact lens design and fitting.

Two-faceted mirror for active integration of coherent high-power laser beams.

A new integration method suited for spatially coherent high-power laser beams is demonstrated. The integrator system is based on a mirror with two facets, one of which can vibrate under the action of a piezoelectric translator. After reflection in the faceted mirror, the beam intensity distribution is modified to obtain greater uniformity. However, because of the coherence of the reflected beamlets, this distribution is affected by an interference pattern. The active integration consists of a periodic displacement of the moving facet that causes the interference pattern to vibrate, and its contribution to the intensity profile therefore averages out (fringe visibility within a 5% range). The combination of a faceted mirror and a simple imaging system results in an intensity profile with good uniformity over large spot sizes. Both simulated and experimental results are presented, the latter showing that a final uniformity within a 10% range can be achieved and it is limited mainly by diffraction at the edges of the facets.

Visual mechanisms governing the perception of auto-stereograms

Background:  Single image random dot stereograms (SIRDS) have been used to study diverse visual parameters and skills. The aim of the present study was to identify the main optometric factors involved in the perception of SIRDS and to obtain a discriminant model to categorise our participants in terms of their skill in perceiving SIRDS.

Surface dynamics during laser polishing of glass

Laser heating of glass samples is a simple and versatile method for obtaining polished surfaces of optical quality. Since laser beam intensity non-uniformity can translate into significant variations in the induced surface temperature, the success of the laser surface-polishing process strongly depends on obtaining uniform intensity profiles or flat-top distributions at the sample plane. In this paper we present a comparison between large-area CO2 laser-polishing experiments carried out in optical glass substrates following two different approaches: (1) A reshaped beam obtained by an active integration method is swept over the glass surface. (2) A static beam reshaped by means of both a multifaceted mirror and a square pipe light guide is applied.

Laser application for optical glass polishing

The development of new optical glass polishing methods that improve the production efficiency of standard components is of key interest for the optical industry. Laser polishing is a very attractive method since it requires no mechanical abrasives or surface-adapted polishing tools. Moreover, it can be applied to surfaces of very complicated topography that are difficult or even impossible to polish using more traditional techniques and provides the possibility of automatic processing. We demonstrate rapid generation of large area polished optical surfaces by high power CO2 laser irradiation. Results focus on glasses with high expansion coefficients conventionally used in the optical industry such as TRC-33. The technique is applied to preheated glass samples with initial rms roughness up to 500 nm. To find out the conditions for successful and reliable use of the proposed laser polishing method, the laser-driven heating process is monitored by means of the surface and depth temperature distributions. Whereas the former is determined in-situ from the IR radiation emitted by the glass surface, the latter is obtained by comparison of the IR radiation emitted by the bulk sample with a theoretical model. Laser polishing of 5000 mm2 glass surfaces is reported and processes involved in the surface modification of irradiated samples are described and discussed.

Laser heat treatments driven by integrated beams: role of irradiation nonuniformities

An analysis is given of how nonuniformities in the laser beam intensity translate into variations on the induced temperature distribution on an irradiated sample. The study involves materials with different thermal conductivities. By use of a reshaped irradiating beam obtained with a multifaceted integrating mirror, a three-dimensional numerical calculation allows us to establish both surface and in-depth temperature distributions. The results show that in the case of materials such as glass (i.e., with low thermal conductivity) large thermal gradients occur both on the surface and in depth during irradiation. However, the lateral heat flow is high enough to strongly reduce the surface gradients as soon as the laser irradiation ends. Conversely, in good thermal conductors such as nickel, the laser intensity nonuniformities induce a thermal peaking of the surface with lateral thermal gradients that are by no means negligible. Experimental evidence during laser glass polishing that confirms the numerical assessments are also provided.

Comparative Analysis of Peripheral Corneal Geometry in Health and Keratoconus

Objectives: To describe and compare corneal peripheral angles in normal and keratoconic eyes, to gain a better understanding of the topography of the periphery of the cornea in keratoconus and assist practitioners in the selection and fitting of large diameter contact lenses. Methods: Eighty-eight eyes were included in the study, divided into three groups: healthy (A0, 28 eyes), keratoconus at stage I according to the Amsler-Krumeich classification (AI, 33 eyes) and keratoconus at stages II to IV (AII, 27 eyes). The Pentacam Scheimpflug system was used to manually measure the corneal peripheral angles corresponding to a chord length range between 8.6 and 12.6 mm at 8 different peripheral locations. Results: The peripheral angle was influenced by ocular condition and by the peripheral location, with no interaction effect between both factors. Statistically significant differences were found in mean corneal peripheral angles between groups A0 (30.84°±2.33°) and AI (31.63°±2.02°) (P=0.001) and between A0 and AII (31.37°±2.11°) (P=0.030). The differences between AI and AII were not significant. In all eyes, the largest and smallest peripheral angles were found at the temporal inferior and temporal superior locations, respectively, with a mean difference between largest and smallest of 3.37°±1.42° in healthy eyes and 2.96°±1.54° in keratoconus (AI+AII). Conclusion: Clinically insignificant differences were found in peripheral angles between keratoconus and healthy eyes, giving support to the use of large diameter, intralimbal contact lenses with peripheral designs, and resting on the same corneal region, as those fitted on normal corneas.

Anterior chamber parameters in early and advanced keratoconus. A meridian by meridian analysis

PURPOSE To explore anterior segment changes with keratoconus onset and progression to determine whether structural changes are predominantly corneal, limbal or both. To investigate these changes in different corneal meridians. METHOD Eighty-four eyes with keratoconus and 49 healthy eyes were included in the study. Eyes with keratoconus were divided in two groups according to the Amsler-Krumeich classification: stage I and stages II-IV. Scheimpflug images at three different meridians were used to evaluate the following parameters: anterior chamber depth from the endothelium (ACD_end) and corneal thickness (CT) (software provided), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and sagittal depth (SAGT) from the epithelium, and distance from the end point of SAGT to the anterior surface of the lens (DL) (measured manually), and [ACD - CT] and [SAGT - CT] (calculated). Changes in these parameters with ocular condition and meridian were analysed. RESULTS Statistically significant larger values were found of ACD (p = 0.012) and DL (p = 0.016) with keratoconus onset and progression, with no differences in SAGT values. Besides, [ACD - CT] and [SAGT - CT] were significantly larger in keratoconus eyes (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). Significant differences (all p < 0.001) were found in SAGT, [SAGT - CT] and DL among meridians. Changes in these parameters with keratoconus onset and progression were similar in all meridians. CONCLUSION Considering the results from the three meridians under investigation, it may be concluded that keratoconus onset has an impact on the anterior segment as a whole and not only on corneal structures. The DL distance is a useful parameter to describe limbal changes in keratoconus.

Active beam integrator for high-power coherent lasers

In laser materials processing applications it is often necessary to work with uniform intensity distributions. This goal is quite difficult to achieve when dealing with high power laser beams, and becomes critical for a successful application involving surface heat treatment of non-metallic materials. We have designed and tested a very simple beam shaper for transforming the initial intensity distribution of a CO2 laser beam mode into a more uniform intensity profile. The beam shaper is a tow-faceted mirror for active integration of high power coherent laser beams. After reflection in the faceted mirror, a TEM00 or TEM01 CO2 laser beam is divided into two beamlets that overlap to give a more uniform intensity distribution. A sharp interference pattern due to the high spatial coherence of the incident beam appears. This interference pattern is actively integrated by a high-frequency longitudinal displacement of one of the facets. This provides a change in the relative phase of the two beamlets, and consequently the interference pattern vibrates and its contribution to the intensity distribution averages out. When sweeping this distribution over a sample, a uniform amount of energy is deposited at every point of its surface. It must be emphasized that unlike multifaceted mirrors, out two-facet integrator may provide uniform intensity profiles over any working distance. Finally, as in other integration devices an imaging system may be used to obtain a spot of the shape and the size desired for a particular application.